diff --git a/plugin/ale/zmain.vim b/plugin/ale/zmain.vim
index 2db0d028..994422f2 100644
--- a/plugin/ale/zmain.vim
+++ b/plugin/ale/zmain.vim
@@ -14,18 +14,20 @@ let s:job_linter_map = {}
 let s:job_output_map = {}
 
 function! s:ClearJob(job)
-    if a:job != -1
-        let linter = s:job_linter_map[a:job]
+    let linter = s:job_linter_map[a:job]
 
+    if has('nvim')
         call jobstop(a:job)
-        call remove(s:job_output_map, a:job)
-        call remove(s:job_linter_map, a:job)
-
-        let linter.job = -1
+    else
+        call job_stop(a:job)
     endif
+
+    call remove(s:job_output_map, a:job)
+    call remove(s:job_linter_map, a:job)
+    call remove(linter, 'job')
 endfunction
 
-function! s:GatherOutput(job, data, event)
+function! s:GatherOutput(job, data)
     if !has_key(s:job_output_map, a:job)
         return
     endif
@@ -33,6 +35,14 @@ function! s:GatherOutput(job, data, event)
     call extend(s:job_output_map[a:job], a:data)
 endfunction
 
+function! s:GatherOutputNeoVim(job, data, event)
+    call s:GatherOutput(a:job, a:data)
+endfunction
+
+function! s:GatherOutputVim(channel, data)
+    call s:GatherOutput(ch_getjob(a:channel), [a:data])
+endfunction
+
 function! s:LocItemCompare(left, right)
     if a:left['lnum'] < a:right['lnum']
         return -1
@@ -53,7 +63,7 @@ function! s:LocItemCompare(left, right)
     return 0
 endfunction
 
-function! s:HandleExit(job, data, event)
+function! s:HandleExit(job)
     if !has_key(s:job_linter_map, a:job)
         return
     endif
@@ -90,23 +100,50 @@ function! s:HandleExit(job, data, event)
     " matchadd('ALEError', '\%200l\%17v')
 endfunction
 
-function! s:ApplyLinter(linter)
-    " Stop previous jobs for the same linter.
-    call s:ClearJob(a:linter.job)
+function! s:HandleExitNeoVim(job, data, event)
+    call s:HandleExit(a:job)
+endfunction
 
-    let a:linter.job = jobstart(a:linter.command, {
-    \   'on_stdout': 's:GatherOutput',
-    \   'on_exit': 's:HandleExit',
-    \})
+function! s:HandleExitVim(channel)
+    call s:HandleExit(ch_getjob(a:channel))
+endfunction
+
+function! s:ApplyLinter(linter)
+    if has_key(a:linter, 'job')
+        " Stop previous jobs for the same linter.
+        call s:ClearJob(a:linter.job)
+    endif
+
+    if has('nvim')
+        let a:linter.job = jobstart(a:linter.command, {
+        \   'on_stdout': 's:GatherOutputNeoVim',
+        \   'on_exit': 's:HandleExitNeoVim',
+        \})
+    else
+        " Vim 8 will read the stdin from the file's buffer.
+        let a:linter.job = job_start(a:linter.command, {
+        \   'out_mode': 'nl',
+        \   'err_mode': 'nl',
+        \   'out_cb': function('s:GatherOutputVim'),
+        \   'close_cb': function('s:HandleExitVim'),
+        \   'in_io': 'buffer',
+        \   'in_buf': bufnr('%'),
+        \})
+
+        call ch_close_in(job_getchannel(a:linter.job))
+    endif
 
     let s:job_linter_map[a:linter.job] = a:linter
     let s:job_output_map[a:linter.job] = []
 
-    call jobsend(a:linter.job, join(getline(1, '$'), "\n") . "\n")
-    call jobclose(a:linter.job, 'stdin')
+    if has('nvim')
+        " For NeoVim, we have to send the text in the buffer to the command.
+        call jobsend(a:linter.job, join(getline(1, '$'), "\n") . "\n")
+        call jobclose(a:linter.job, 'stdin')
+    endif
 endfunction
 
-function! s:TimerHandler()
+function! s:TimerHandler(...)
     let filetype = &filetype
     let linters = ALEGetLinters(filetype)
 
@@ -129,7 +166,6 @@ function! ALEAddLinter(filetype, linter)
     endif
 
     call add(s:linters[a:filetype], {
-    \   'job': -1,
     \   'command': a:linter.command,
     \   'callback': a:linter.callback,
     \})
@@ -158,7 +194,7 @@ function! ALELint(delay)
     endif
 
     if a:delay > 0
-        let s:lint_timer = timer_start(a:delay, 's:TimerHandler')
+        let s:lint_timer = timer_start(a:delay, function('s:TimerHandler'))
     else
         call s:TimerHandler()
     endif
@@ -167,6 +203,12 @@ endfunction
 " Load all of the linters for each filetype.
 runtime ale_linters/*/*.vim
 
+if !has('nvim') && !(has('timers') && has('job') && has('channel'))
+    echoerr 'ALE requires NeoVim or Vim 8 with +timers +job +channel'
+    echoerr 'ALE will not be run automatically'
+    finish
+endif
+
 if g:ale_lint_on_text_changed
     augroup ALERunOnTextChangedGroup
         autocmd!